


Official examination

by SheenaWilde



Category: Naruto
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-30
Updated: 2016-12-30
Packaged: 2018-09-13 10:10:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9119062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SheenaWilde/pseuds/SheenaWilde
Summary: After Mizuki has betrayed the village, some official steps have to be taken. And it might lead to unforeseen but not unwelcome consequences.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a very special work. It wasn't written by me but by my best friend. She wrote it for me as a Christmas Gift because she got me into Naruto, got me into Ibiki and then I found so few fics with him, and especially with this pairing. I received it yesterday, loved it to bits, and asked her for her permission to translate it and post it here. She doesn't speak english and has no website whatsoever, but she let me post it here. Original language is Hungarian, the original fic was betad by me, but it's not posted anywhere.

Iruka firmly believed that today’s most important and exciting thing was going to be if Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura completed the exam Kakashi made for them, so leaving the Academy forever they would become genins. Musing about this he wasn’t really able to focus on his class, this was why it happened that he didn’t realize that this class should have ended a good few minutes ago.

Fortunately one of his eager students, Konoamaru had been paying more attention to the clock on the wall than the his teacher’s monologue which he deemed boring, so as was his habit, he pointed out his observation to Iruka with great respect and discretion.

“Iruka-senseeeeeei!” he shouted from one of the back rows. “The class has ended!”

The chuunin looked up, closed the book he was holding, and taking a deep breath, he was going to answer his student in a similar fashion, but the abruptly opening door interrupted him in it. Daikoku, who also worked at the Academy, entered. He had a concerned expression and asked Iruka to go with him once he was finished.

The students left the room relieved. After that Iruka and Daikoku started towards the offices. The mood had been icy in the school in these past days. Iruka only managed to get out from Daikoku that the Third Hokage himself was in the building, and that beside him other teachers were called one by one, too.

***

“I’m going to be short, Iruka” the Hokage said with his deep, worried voice. “I had to call you here because of what has happened with Mizuki.”

Iruka was standing alone in front of the Third because he wished to talk about this matter to everyone involved alone. At hearing the name that had become very well-known in these days Iruka felt a pang of pain in his back in the wound that his old friend had left on him.

“Mizuki’s treachery was a heavy blow to the village. We both very much know how important these children you are teaching are to Konoha’s survival. For this very reason the leaders of the village ordered an examination among the teachers, so we can make sure Mizuki didn’t have a partner in this.” The Hokage stopped and took a deep breath. “Iruka, don’t misunderstand me. I trust all of you, but at this moment this is needed for the situation to calm down.”

“What is this exactly, Hokage-sama?” Iruka inquired, puzzled.

“Konoha’s Torture and Interrogation Force is going to question every teacher today afternoon in the headquarters. I’d like to ask you to go, too.”

“But sir… Is it really necessary?”

“Yes. This is a command” With that, the Third Hokage cut the conversation short. Iruka waited for a few moments without a word, but when no continuation came, he bowed formally, and left.

***

Hot – this was the first word that came to Iruka’s mind when he entered the small waiting room where the Anbu led him. There were already some people in the room, the temperature was high and the air was little. The door was closed behind him. There were about ten to fifteen people in there with him. Iruka went to the person closest to him, Suzume, who was a kunoichi, that is, a female ninja.

“What do we know so far?” Iruka asked, worried, while he took a closer look at the others present. His earlier observation, that it was hot, many didn’t take lightly to, though the tension he felt probably wasn’t coming from that. Suzume didn’t answer him immediately, but slowly walked to the table in the middle of the room and picked up the paper lying there, then handed it to Iruka. At both sides of the table there were two sofas about a step away in which some were sitting but no one looked up.

“We only know this so far” she replied quietly, then her eyes flickered to one of the corners, then back to Iruka again before looking away she walked back to her previous place. Iruka looked there, too, and yes, he was right… A video camera was watching them. Now he too started to feel the anxiety and uncertainty in himself. So he turned his attention to message which were left for them.

_The management would like to thank you for your cooperation during the examination. Your interrogation is going to take place individually. For greater efficiency and speed we are listing the emerging questions below. While our colleague arrives we would like to ask you kindly to read and consider the questions. Thank you for your patience.  
Ibiki Morino_

_We expect a brief answer for the questions._  
_1\. Were you in a close relationship with Mizuki who has been recently charged with treachery?_  
_2\. Have you been or are you currently in possession of any information relating to Mizuki’s treachery or his accomplices?  
_ _3\. Do you know about anyone to whom both of these questions apply? Give this person’s name._

Iruka became even more confused. Information? Accomplice? He firmly believed that this whole was only formality, so that the leadership of the village could calm themselves and everyone else, too, but right now it became so serious and real… He didn’t really know what to do with the situation. And he wasn’t alone with this. The questions that were written on this paper said directly what they were expected to give. They needed names. Suspects. But who could be accused of something like this? He looked around the room and only saw people he had been working together with for long years, grown up together with, even, like… Well, yes… Mizuki had been like that, too. He unconsciously touched his shoulder and even through his clothes could feel the bandages on his body. His childhood friend’s treachery left deep wounds on him, body and soul alike.

He wanted to say something to the others but he didn’t know what. They had never been in a similar situation before, but somehow he wanted to make them know that he trusted them. But the thought that one day one of them might turn around like Mizuki… This thought frightened him. He should have noticed the anger and bitterness in him, they were partners after all. He might have noticed it, actually, maybe he just didn’t want to acknowledge it, like he had done with Naruto at first. Yes… He made his decisicion – he had to pay more attention to those around him.

He looked around the room again, but this time he made eye contact with the others. His gaze was confident, and when he got to Ebisu, he even smiled. He knew the man well and suspected that he came to a similar conclusion.  
But the others still had question in their eyes, questions which were going to stay unspoken until one of those present got tired of waiting. Ebisu adjusted his black-lensed glasses, and started speaking in his usual, arrogant tone, looking at the others.

“I don’t know what you think, but I’d have more important things to do, like training the future Hokage, for example. If they really wanted to save time, then I’m making it easier for them.” At this point he looked into the camera confidently. “I think every Konoha ninja close to me, and yes, up until his treachery, Mizuki was one of them. I didn’t know of his plans or thoughts, but if I had known about them, I would have prevented them, just the same as others have done. And the names I give is ‘everybody’ and ‘nobody’. He was everyone’s comrade but I know of no one here who would do something like that. This is my answer and I have a feeling the others agree with me on this.”

Some people smiled at that and stood, some of them nodding. The gazes changed, there were no questions in them anymore, and it seemed like they completely agreed with what had been said. There were a few moments of silence before the door opened, and an Anbu showed up who informed them that the examination was postponed, they were grateful for the cooperation, they could go now.

The chuunins started leaving feeling relieved. Iruka was the last one to leave the building, somewhat tagging behind the others who said their goodbyes in front of the entrance. Everyone went to mind their own business happily, but Iruka didn’t move. He didn’t understand this whole. What was the point of this whole fuss and wasted time? Did Ebisus’s opinion and our nodding counted so much that we aren’t suspicious anymore? He didn’t get it.

And although he didn’t understand many things, he was a well-trained chuunin. Thanks to that, he noticed right away that someone was standing behind him. Ibiki Morino, head jounin of Konoha’s T&I Force was standing in front of the entrance. His dark uniform and stern gaze didn’t put many people at ease. They watched each other with Iruka for a few seconds, then Ibiki turned on his heels and entered the building. Iruka waited for a few moments, but since he wanted answers, he couldn’t stay in one place. He followed him.

“Excuse me” he called after him when he caught up to him on a dark corridor. “You are Ibiki Morino, rigtht?”

Ibiki stopped but didn’t turn around right away. He turned towards Iruka with his upper body first, only then did his whole body follow.

“Ibiki. Call me Ibiki if you please” the jounin answered lightly, but it seemed weird to Iruka at first, since he was only a chuunin, so under him in rank, and in height for that matter, because he was about 6 inches shorter than Ibiki,

“I am aware that you are the commanding officer of this department, so I have to ask either you or the Hokage-sama about what has happened.”

“About what has happened?”

“There was no point in this whole examination today” he said confidently. He felt a bit like a student who was about to lecture one of his teachers about the importance of homework. Ibiki smiled.

“We haven’t finished yet, I merely postponed it.” He closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. “Odd. I thought it was clear enough for you, that’s why it went so quickly and without a fight, but if it wasn’t, that’s better.”

“What do you mean?”

“What has been said, if you had done it by instinct, or had been simply what you thought, was good, but if you simply left the answer to Ebisu, then it’s different. Or if you simply hadn’t shared your own answers.”

“We didn’t have the opportunity to…” Iruka started but Ibiki cut him off.

“Of course you did. There’s always an opportunity, just like right now. Would you like to share them maybe?”

“I only wanted to know…” Iruka got lost in this whole, because now he really didn’t understand anything. “My answers are the same as Ebisu’s.”

“The answer may be the same but I want to know the reasons” Ibiki said, unbothered. “But I don’t have time right now, if you want to give answers, then seek me out. Or if you realized why this examination was necessary. Until then, remember that my door is open for you.”

“Thank you” Iruka answered after a moment of silence, surprised.

“I meant that you should close it on your way out” Ibiki replied on a stern voice.

Iruka was completely speechless from shock. He blushed and wanted to start apologizing for misunderstanding Ibiki’s words, but a strange and kind smile appeared on the jounin’s face, that, he had to admit, suited him fine. He turned around and started walking away on the opposite direction, but before he disappeared into the darkness, he added.

“I was joking. Come whenever you want.” His voice could be heard longer than he could be seen. “Iruka…”

***

In the middle of a more or less calm, but long day, Ibiki only wished for some solitude in his office so he could arrange some papers before he was called to a meeting, for the second time that day. Due to his line of work it was hard to surprise him, it was a challenge to cause such a feeling in him both pleasantly, both unexpectedly. This was why he was so taken aback when it happened.

He hadn’t even entered his office completely when he could feel the smell of fresh niku dango, namely of meatballs, which were put on his desk by his unexpected guest, Iruka, who stood on the left side of the desk.

“If I intruded upon you, Ibiki-san, I thought I should bring something” Iruka started in a kind voice. Ibiki walked farther in.

“I thought that you can come whenever you like, just the same as to drop the formalities.” He took one portion of the skewered dangos, and ate them in one motion. “Thank you, although I prefer hanami dangos, you almost got it right.”

The following silence that could have been called awkward was finally broken by Iruka.

“I would like to hear your answers, Ibiki-san” Iruka said. “Why would you think that was necessary yesterday? Did the village want to test our trust towards each other? Is that what happened?”

“Please, continue” Ibiki replied lightly. With a smooth move, he leaned against his desk and took another portion of the skewered meat. “I’m listening.”

“Was that the point, to see if we started pointing fingers? Were you expecting something like that while watching the screen of the camera? We are teachers, chuunins. We can’t be outsmarted that easily.”

“Anyone can be outsmarted if we knew their weakness. You know how the saying goes - a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Your student outsmarted the Hokage about a week ago, because he knew that weakness.” Ibiki fell silent, and looked into Iruka’s eyes. “You want my answer? We weren’t testing your loyalty. Since Mizuki has betrayed the village and you as well, all of you were feeling dejected, and you very much needed us to point out something important.”

“That being?”

“That you could still trust your partners. You didn’t start pointing fingers, and judging by your looks, you couldn’t have come up with a name either. To be honest, this was the reaction we expected of you. In life and on the battlefield, we depend on each other. If we didn’t trust each other, that would lead to dissension, which would mean the end of Konoha.”

He took up the last portion of dango and ate it.

“If you think it was unnecessary for you to know this, then I misjudged the person I saw in your eyes” Ibiki stepped closer to him. “Who was that? A ninja who was stabbed in the back by his best friend while he was trying to protect someone who had his parents’ murderer in him. You had to see that despite being so close to Mizuki, no one was accusing you.” Ibiki put his hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry if this was harsh. These were my answers. Although I still haven’t heard yours, I have to hurry to a meeting again. If you would like to continue our conversation, I have dinner in a dango place three corners away from here every evening, you can find me there. Goodbye, Iruka.”

***

The lanterns had long been turned on, and the smoke of cigarettes was floating in the air. Ibiki was confident that Iruka was going to join him, especially since he had noticed him watching the goods of a merchant about thirty feet away from him. He assumed that he was trying to arrive acting naturally, and not like someone who was seeking out his company the third time in two days. Not that he minded it, that was why he offered this meeting.

He left a free place beside himself and ordered two portions of dango. By the time it was delivered, Iruka had arrived, too. He stopped behind Ibiki for a moment, and he turned around and smiled at him.

“Good evening” the jounin said.

Iruka hesitated for a moment, then sat on the free seat beside Ibiki.

“I was thinking ahead” he pointed at the food.

“Thank you, Ibiki.”

“We’ve made progress, I’ve become simply Ibiki.” A teasing but at the same time kind smirk appeared on his face.

“Progress in what?” Iruka smiled, too.

“In spending a nice meal where I don’t feel like I’m still in the interrogation room.”

“Ah, I see. Though it’s odd.”

“What is?”

“I thought a ninja is always on duty.”

Ibiki thought about that.

“We are ninjas. This is our life and within that we are teachers, police officers, doctors, or sadistic interrogators” Iruka glanced at his companion with a surprised look. “as our colleagues usually call me. “Ibiki poured themselves some sake. He handed one of the small glasses to Iruka. “Then when the working hours end, we are still ninjas and people who live their lives.” He raised his glass a bit higher. “Of course, if you insist, the conversation can stay official quality” Ibiki smirked at him.

“That would be even weirder. I can imagine as I lecture you and you try to pry information out of me again and again.” Iruka raised his small glass of sake, too, and started sipping on it, while Ibiki added.

“I would be the most surprised of is if you could teach me something new” he winked at Iruka kindly, and it was enough to make Iruka almost choke on his drink. Ibiki laughed loudly at that and clapped his blushing, coughing companion on his back.

Iruka was quite surprised that Ibiki was so direct with him. He didn’t expect that going after him on the corridor would lead to something like this.

Just as it took Ibiki by surprise as well how pleasant it was to be in his company.

“To be honest, I doubt I could surprise you” Iruka laughed.

“You already have. I never would have thought that you would follow me to my office with your questions” Ibiki stopped with the sentence and poured some more sake. The dangos were untouched. “And this time I’m not in a hurry.”  
Iruka stared into the air in front of him. He didn’t say anything for a good few minutes. Ibiki thought he wouldn’t get an answer at all, but he was of a patient sort and didn’t plan on urging him.

“Mizuki had been my friend since I was a child. We were quite inseparable, although it’s true that he had changed since our chuunin exams, and I noticed it, but didn’t acknowledge it. I didn’t think that he could do something like this, but it didn’t surprise me as much as one might have expected it to, either.” He looked at Ibiki again. “And yes… I should’ve known what was going to happen but I was careless. Maybe I didn’t want to acknowledge it.”

“Never feel guilty for trusting your friends” Ibiki answered silently. “Traitors like Mizuki will always be there.” Ibiki put one of his hands on Iruka’s arm. “And we must hope that friends like you will, too.”

They watched each other for a while in silence, then Ibiki pulled back his hand. They spent the rest of the evening with pleasant, but neutral conversation, and they finally said goodbye and went home.

***

More than a week had passed. Iruka was think a lot of that evening. He was much calmer about this whole Mizuki-case since then, but emotionally he wasn’t so balanced. He didn’t understand why his thoughts were revolving around making up excuses. He was making up reasons in his head why he should visit Ibiki again. To thank for the dinner, the conversation, how understanding he was, but it would all be so clichéd. And it bothered him, just as the thought that his first two times taking the initiative could have been easily misunderstood.

Or was it only him thinking that? Ibiki acted naturally the whole time. Yes, he made jokes, but that was just how the situation turned out.

There was one thing he was curious about, anyway… Yes! That’s it! With this one question he would seek him out and that was going to be it. Of course, only because he wanted to see clearly. Or no, because there was nothing to see. No! He simply wanted to know… Or no, he was only curious, that’s all. There was no need for him to complicate things. Today, after work, he would seek him out and that would be it.

Fortunately he got done with the lessons quickly, as after Naruto’s class, he got a very young one who could gradually get more work, so this early on they weren’t kept in school for too long. He only had to put the equipment back to the storage room, then he could go right away.

He left the door open behind himself, so there would be more light. But while he was packing the things away, he dropped a ball that rolled away towards the entrance, where a body standing in its way stopped it. It was Ibiki.

“Nice to see you again.” He took the ball up, walked to Iruka and put it to its assumed place.

“Hello, Ibiki. How are you?”

“Tired. And you?”

“I’m fine. Nice to see you, too. I wanted to visit you, anyway.”

Ibiki smiled.

“Really? Why?”

“Well… Now I want to get an answer of you” he said confidently. “When a week ago we went out of your headquarters with the other teachers, why did you come out if you went back inside right away? The others went home by that time if I remember right.”

Ibiki closed his eyes, sighed, then opening his eyes once again, he looked deep into Iruka’s eyes.

“Your fame has preceded you after what happened. I simply wanted to see you. I was curious. As am I today.”

“I don’t understand this. Why have you come?”

“I was searching for a reason whole week but then I realized” Ibiki stepped closer to him.

“Realized what?”

“I wanted to see you. Or maybe I wanted to share my scars with someone. With you.

Iruka couldn’t believe his ears, and even less his eyes. Ibiki looked away as if somewhere inside he was ashamed of saying this out loud.

Iruka couldn’t help but stand there and stare, no words would come out of his mouth…

He raised his hands. First, he put them on Ibiki’s shoulders, then very slowly he started sliding them up on his neck. He rested his palm on his bare cheeks, then stroked down his thumb on the scar on Ibiki’s face. Ibiki closed his eyes, then took that hand in his own. Opening his eyes, he looked straight into Iruka’s eyes, then closing them once again, he immediately kissed the man.

Iruka stood frozen for a moment, then quickly caught up to the other and returned the kiss. Gently, carefully, holding back at first, but they quickly became caught up in it. They deepened the kiss impatiently and their hands started to roam on each other, and Iruka forgot about any worry he might have had earlier.

They didn’t know how long this romantic moment lasted, time seemed to stand still… Right until they heard noises get nearer from the doorway. Fumbling footsteps. Conspicuous hushes. Then two intertwined bodies entered the room, hands buried in the other’s hair and kisses exchanged between whispers. They were completely tangled in each other.

“Gai, pay attention… We’re going to fall…” they heard a familiar voice.

“We’re not! We’d just get closer to our goal anyway….”

It was Gai who stepped in the room facing them, so it was him who noticed the couple first, unlike his partner who was facing him and so backing into the room.

“Kakashi… I think we should really stop.” Gai’s face went completely red.

“What? You were the one rushing me so far! Where is that springtime of youth you’re always talking about?” the other asked, surprised.

“It fades in company…” he answered, disheartened, and spun his partner towards the others in the room.

“Ah… So… Hi there” Kakashi started with a small smile, rubbing the back of his neck, but then he caught sight of Ibiki’s coat lying on the ground, and looked back at the couple. “Oh… excuse us.”

“Ibiki… Iruka…” Gai started but Kakashi was already pulling him out of the room.

“Leave it, Gai… Let’s go” Kakashi waved at Iruka and Ibiki. “Sorry for bothering! Gai, come on!”

“We were only…”

“Gai, come… Gai!”

“You know how it is… We were only…” Gai was completely embarrassed. He was still talking to them from the threshold while Kakashi was dragging him out.

“Gai! They know… And we know that this room is occupied.” Gai’s eyes lit up with recognition and passion. Kakashi didn’t have a chance to hold him back now, but he didn’t need to anymore, either. “Gai, come…”

“Oooooh! Of course!” A huge smirk appeared in Gai’s face. “Go for it, guys! Let the flame burn in you!” – he shouted in his usual manner, and slammed the door behind themselves, so the couple was alone in the now almost complete darkness, in complete silence, and shocked by what had just happened.

Fortunately, they couldn’t be bothered for too long. Seeing each other’s smiles, they forgot all about the outside world again.

And fortunately, they didn’t have any other unexpected visitor for long hours after that.


End file.
